Newsies' Little Sister

Chapter 4 - Wait! You ran into Spot Conlon!?

Emmeline's POV

I turned, and I legged it as fast as I could. Away from Duane Street. Away from the lodging house. Away from Nick. I didn't want to leave, but...I don't know why I left.

I raced away, and I didn't stop sprinting until I, quite literally, ran into a boy.

"Hey! Watch it, kid!" Came the loud yell that I was expecting.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"Who are you? And why are you trying to sell on my turf?" He asked forcefully.

"I don't know what you mean by selling on your turf." I replied. I looked him over; he was short and incredibly muscular. He was as tough as he was good-looking, and I didn't want to get on the wrong side of him. 'Be careful!' I thought.

"Yes you do! You're one of Cowboy Jack's Newsies!" He practically shouted at me.

"No! I swear, I have no idea who that is! I'm not a Newsie!" I said, starting to panic. He looked at me like he thought I was lying. But I wasn't. I looked down at myself and saw what I was wearing. I guess I did look like a Newsie. But I certainly wasn't one!

Then, without warning, I felt his strong fist make contact with my stomach, then my face. I fell to the hard pavement, winded.

I didn't know it, but I had bolted straight out of Manhattan, over the bridge, and into Brooklyn. And this boy that I had ran into was the King of Brooklyn, Spot Conlon. Definitely not someone to get on the wrong side of, as I found out the hard way.

'Ow.' I thought, as he picked me up off the floor and started walking. I felt his strong arms grip me hard and then he threw me into the water by the docks. That shocked me out of my daze from being punched in the jaw. Twice.

"Come back, if you want another soaking!" He yelled down at me as my head came up and broke the surface of the water. 'Oh hell! I can't swim!' I thought as I shouted for someone to help me. But no one came. So, I just grabbed onto a piece of rope and tried to pull myself out of the water.

I had just started to haul myself over the top of the docks when a hand grabbed onto mine and another handsome face came into view.

"Hey! Are you ok there?" He said as he helped me up. I sat on the edge of the dock wall and he sat down beside me.

"My name's Elmer, by the way. Are you ok?" He asked me, a tone of concern in his calm and cheerful voice.

"Uhhh...yeah I'm fine and my name's Emmeline, but you can call me Em." I replied, half smiling at him. He looked friendly and he asked me if I was hungry, somewhat unexpectedly.

I nodded my head quickly to say yes, he stood up and held out his hand. I flinched slightly, thinking he was going to hit me, but then I realised that he wanted to help me up. He didn't say anything about it while we walked but I could tell that he wanted to ask me. I'm glad he didn't.

"So, who's Newsies are you in? I don't think I've ever seen you before." He asked while we were crossing the Brooklyn Bridge.

Elmer's POV

"I'm not a Newsie." She said, shivering slightly. She was still wet, and she was a bit shaken up from being thrown in the water. I took my over-shirt off and put it around her shoulders. I could tell that she was a bit shocked, but she accepted it gratefully.

She was the prettiest goil I had ever seen. She had the most intense, fiery red hair that fell into a curly, flowing mane just below her shoulders. Her eyes were a beautiful, deep brown that you could get lost in and I didn't realise that I was staring at her, until I nearly walked into a lamp post!